Trolley conveyer



June 16, 1931. E. v. FRANCIS TROLLEY CONVEYER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 21, 1930 fnuvz mfon .For/e U. [70/16/51 W 93% June 16, 1931.. E. v. FRANCIS TROLLEY CONVEYER Filed April 21, 1930- 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 16, 1931 v UNITED; STATES PATENT OFFICE EABLE V. FRANCIS, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOB TO THE JEFFREY MANUFACTUR- I ING COMPANY, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO TROLLEY CONVEYER Application filed April 21,

This invention relates to new and useful c improvements in trolley conveyers of the disclosed in my copending application,

serial No. 275,212, filed May 4,1928, and

Serial No. 416,187, filed December 23, 1929,

' in which a series of load supports or trolley curves in a trackway.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a toggle mechanism for accomplishing the foregoing object, and which will cause the center line of the toggle mechanism to be disposed radially with respect to a curve which it traverses.

Other objects and advantages of the.in-

vent-ion will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of the description, and wherein like true merals are employed to designate like parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the inventionillustrating the positions of the various parts in traversing straight trackway.

Figure 2 is a transverse section of the same taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 illustratingthe device suspended from a trackway.

igure 3 is a side elevation of the invention showing the positions of the various parts of the device when traversing a curve m the trackway, and

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the conveyor passing about a vertical curve.

In trolley conveyers, provision must be made for permittin flexing-of the conveyor or draft chain on 0th horizontal and vertical pivots to enable the draft device to traverse both horizontal and vertical curves in the overhead trackway. In my copending applications, I have shown several dif ferent ways of providing for the proper fiexing of the conveyor chain, whereby all break- 1930. Serial No. 446,070.

ing strains and stresses are removed from the conveyer chain when it traverses both horizontal and vertical curves in a trackway.

In all of these foregoing forms of trolley conveyer, trolley hangers proper have been connected to the draft device at intervals throughout its length, but, in the present a form of device, a trolley hanger body proper is not employed, and the toggle mechanism is incorporated more or less directly inthe conveyer chain proper.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates an overhead trackway supported in any suitable manner, usually by hangers 2 suspended from the structural work of a building in which the conveyer is to be installed. A draft device or conveyer chain 5 is composed of a series of chain links joined on vertical axes by vertically disposed pintles 6. This construction obviously provides a conveyer chain which will properly flex in horizontal planes in passing about horizontal curves.

In order to equip the chain with means enabling it to flex on horizontal axes in passing about vertical curves in a trackway and, at the same time, prevent breaking stresses being imposed upon the links of the chain in portions A and B, which are arranged 011 opposite sides of the horizontal axes C, the portions A and B of the chain are connected toether on horizontal axes 7 wherever it is esired to incorporate a trolley or load support in the chain, by means of connecting as at 11 to receive the end links of the chain portions A and B, whc'h are-pivotally connected to the connecting links 8 and 9 by means of the vertical pivot pins 12.

The links 8 and 9 are further provided at their upper ends with a pair of upstanding spaced apertured ears 18, between which are pivotally connected by pins 14, a pair of toggle levers or links 15. The upper ends of these two links are equipped with aper- III tured barrels 16, through which project an axle 17, on the ends of which are rotatably mounted rollers 18 for support upon the trackway 1. Thus, the conveyer chain is su ported from the overhead trackway.

he lower ends of each of the links 8 and 9 are also equipped'with a pair of apertured ears 19, between which is pivotally connected, by means of the pivot pins 20, a second pair of toggle members or links 21. These links 21 are pivotally connected at their corresponding ends by a pivot-bolt 22, which also extends through a bifurcated upper end of a load su port 23, thereby pivotally suspending the oad support from the toggle mechanism and connecting links.

When the conveyer chain is traversing the straight portion of a trackway, the parts of the chain assume the positions shown in Figure 1, wherein it will be noted that the horizontal axes 7, 17 and 22 are all arranged in the same vertical plane with the portions of the chain A and B extending perpendicularly to such plane. This is the position assumed by the parts when traversing straight portions of the trackway, and when the chain traverses horizontal curves, the links of the chain pivot upon their vertical axes 6 and 12. Whenever the chain traverses a vertical curve. in a trackway, the toggle links 15 and 21 will cause the connecting links 8 and 9 to swin on their axes 7, and will compel these links to be disposed at equal angles with respect to a plane assing through the pivot pins 7 and 17, indicated by the dotted lines 24 illustrated in Figure 4. In other words, the links 8 and 9 will be caused" by the toggle links to swing an equal degree in opposite directions about the pivot 7 to cause the portions of the chain A and B, on opposite sides of this toggle mechanism to assume substantially the same angular relation with respect to the plane 24 in passing about vertical curves, whereby the line of reaction of the parts, also indicated by the dotted lines 24: in Figure 4, will be normal to the curve in the trackway, so as to eliminate all breaking stresses which would otherwise be imposed upon the links of the conveyer chain.

Viewed in another aspect, the toggle links 15 and rollers 18 may be said to constitute trolley hanger portions of the device, while the toggle links 21 and load supports 23 may be said to constitute the load supporting portions of the trolley hangers. It is to be understood that many variations of the device may be made without departing from the invention, as for instance, the load supports may be hung directly from the horizontal pivots 7, and the toggle links 21 be pivoted together independently of the load supports, and likewise the upper set of toggle members 15 may be pivotally joined independently of the axle 17 and t 1e rollers 18 may be carried by a trolley hanger which is connected to the horizontal pivot of the links 8 and 9. Many other variations may be made,

and it is to be understood that such are cornduce equal and opposite pivotal movement thereof.

2. A conveyer chain comprising a series of links joined on axes, a pair of elements included therein and pivotally connected on an axis at right angles to said axes, and levers pivotally connected together and to said elements to produce equal and opposite pivotal movement thereof.

3. A conveyer chain comprising a series of links joined on axes, a pair of elements included therein and pivotally connected on an axis at right angles to said axes, and means connecting said elements on opposite sides of their axis to produce equal and opposite pivotal movement thereof.

4. In a conveyer, a trackway, a conveyer chain comprising a series of links 'oined on axes, a pair of elements included t erein and pivotally connected together on an axis at right angles to said axes, and a pair of links freely pivotally suspending said elements from a trackway. p

5. A conveyer chain comprising a series of links joined on axes, a pair of elements included therein and pivotally connected on an axis at right angles to said axes, a trolley, and a pair of links pivotally suspended therefrom and pivotally connected to said elements.

6. A conveyer chain comprising a series of links joined on axes, a pair of elements included therein and pivotally connected on an axis at right angles to said axes, and toggle links connecting corresponding ends of said elements to produce equal and opposite pivotal movement thereof.

7. A conveyer chain comprising a series of links joined on axes, a pair of elements included therein and pivotall connected on an axis at right angles to said axes, and pairs of toggle links connecting corresponding ends of said elements on opposite sides of their axis to produce equal and opposite pivotal movement of said elements.

8. A conveyer chain comprising a series of links joined on axes, a pair of elements included therein and pivotally connected on an axis at right angles to said axes, a wheeledaxle for travel on a trackway, and a pair of links pivotally suspended from said axle and pivotally connected to said elements.

9. A conveyer chain comprising a series of links joined on axes, a pair of elements ineluded therein and pivotally connected on an axis at right angles to said axes, a Wheeledaxle for travel on a trackway, a pair of links pivotally suspended from said axle and pivotally connected to said elements, and a load carriersuspended from said elements.

I 10. A conveyor chain comprising a series of links joined on axes, a pair of elements included therein and pivotally connected on an m axis at right angles to said axes, a wheeledafcle for travel on a trackivay, a pair of links pivotally suspended from said axle and pivotally connected to said elements, a load carrier, and a pair of links pivotally connected thereto and to corresponding ends of aid elements.

11. A conveyer chain comprising a series of links jo ned 0 axes. a pair of elements included therein and pivotally connected on an axis at right angles to said axes, and a load carrier suspended from said elements to produce equal and opposite pivotal movement thereof. A

12. In a conveyor, a traekway, a conveyer 5 chain comprising a series of links joined on axes, a pair of elements included therein and pivotally connected together on an axis at right angles to said axes, means for suspending said chain from said tiackuay, and toggle an means associated with said elements to produce equal and opposite pivotal movement thereof.

13. In a conveyer, a trackway, a convcyer chain comprising a series of links joined on at axes, a pair of elements included therein and pivotally connected together on an axis at right angles to said axes, means for suspend ing said chain from said trackway, and a load carrier including a pair of toggle links connected to corresponding ends of said elements.

14. A conveyor chain comprisinga series of links joined on vertical axes, a pair of elements included therein and pivotally connected together on a horizontal axis, and a toggle mechanism associated with said ele ments to produce equal and opposite pivotal movement thereof.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

EARLE V. FRANCIS. 

